Show 197, November 12, 2016: Show Preview with Executive Producer & Co-Host Andy Harris

Posted on November 14, 2016 by Adam Bell

Be listening for your chance next Saturday morning, Nov. 19^th to win our VIP Brunch for 2 package at SideDoor on December 3^rd at 10:00 a.m. SideDoor is graciously throwing us a party to celebrate the show’s 4^th Anniversary. We’ll be broadcasting live from SideDoor that morning.

Now a provocatively tempting preview of Saturday’s full-measure show and not, with profuse apologies, for dieters. If we’re successful we will always leave you incredibly hungry and thirsty. In our case that’s actually a pretty good thing…

The Ment’or BKB Foundation (founded by Daniel Boulud, Thomas Keller and Jerome Bocuse) supports Team USA at the bi-annual Bocuse d’Or International Culinary Competition and mentors up-and-coming culinary talent in the USA. Earlier this year Chef Vincenzo Loseto of The Nomad in New York won the prestigious honors as the 2016 Young Chef. He’s been on quite a ride since then. We’ll meet him.

One of our favorite guests of 2016 is the always-opinionated Meathead Goldwyn, the founder of AmazingRibs.com, the hugely popular grilling and barbecue website. He’s also known as the barbecue whisperer. His new book is Meathead: The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling. Meathead joins us with some unexpected but hugely practical tips for preparing the Thanksgiving feast.

Bravo’s “Top Chef” Season 10 alum Brooke Williamson and her husband/co-chef Nick Roberts have debuted in Playa Vista their 4^th restaurant. It’s the fast-casual, Hawaiian-themed, street-food oriented, Da Kikokiko. Chef Brooke joins us to share the inviting aloha spirit.

Tequila can only come from certain areas of Mexico and the State of Jalisco is famous for their blue agave which is the base for authentic Tequila. The Marriott Resort CasaMagna has a resident Tequila Sommelier and a fascinating Tequila program. We’ll meet her. Bring on the aged Anejo.

All of this and lots more absolutely incredible deliciousness on Saturday’s show!

Show 197, November 12, 2016: Meathead Goldwyn, AmazingRibs.com, Meathead – The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling Part One

Posted on November 14, 2016 by Adam Bell

One of our favorite guests of 2016 is Meathead Goldwyn, the founder of AmazingRibs.com, the hugely popular grilling and barbecue website. He’s also known as the barbecue whisperer.

His new book is Meathead: The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling. Meathead joins us with some unexpected but practical tips for preparing the traditional Thanksgiving feast.

Let’s not stuff the bird in the traditional way. Instead, make mufflings (stuffing prepared and baked in muffin pans.) Also, so all parts of the turkey cook evenly on the grill butterfly or spatchcock the bird.

Show 197, November 12, 2016: Meathead Goldwyn, AmazingRibs.com, Meathead – The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling Part Two

Posted on November 14, 2016 by Adam Bell

One of our favorite guests of 2016 is Meathead Goldwyn, the founder of AmazingRibs.com, the hugely popular grilling and barbecue website. He’s also known as the barbecue whisperer.

His new book is Meathead: The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling. Meathead now continues with some unexpected but practical tips for preparing the traditional Thanksgiving feast.

For accurate temperature control always use a digital thermometer. It’s much more reliable. AmazingRibs.com has a helpful buying guide with objective reviews.

For cooking the bird Meathead suggests smoking or grilling. This opens up critical oven space for baking pies.

What wood should you use to create the natural smoke flavor for the bird? Meathead tells you what you really need to know.

“Understanding is the first step in mastery. This book (MEATHEAD) explains the science of barbecuing and grilling in lay terms. Along the way, I use science to filter the hogwash, bust the myths, and take down the old husbands’ tales and canards passed along by pit masters whose rituals that have gone largely untested since that first forest fire.” Meathead Goldwyn – From the Introduction.

November 12: Vincenso Loseto, Meathead Goldwyn, Brooke Williamson, Marriott CasaMagna

Posted on November 10, 2016 by Adam Bell

Podcasts

Segment One: Show Preview with Executive Producer & Co-Host Andy Harris.
Segment Two: Chef Vincenzo Loseto, The Nomad, Ment’or BKB Foundation’s 2016 Young Chef Competition Winner
Segment Three: Meathead Goldwyn, AmazingRibs.com, Meathead – The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling Part One
Segment Four: Meathead Goldwyn, AmazingRibs.com, Meathead – The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling Part Two
Segment Five: Restaurateur, Chef and “Top Chef” Alum Brooke Williamson, Da Kikokiko, Hudson House, The Tripel and Playa Provisions
Segment Six: Tequila Sommelier Audrey Formisano, Marriott Resort CasaMagna, Puerto Vallarta

The Ment’or BKB Foundation (founded by Daniel Boulud, Thomas Keller and Jerome Bocuse) supports Team USA at the Bocuse d’Or International culinary competition and mentors up-and-coming culinary talent in the USA. Earlier this year Chef Vincenzo Loseto of The Nomad in New York won the prestigious honors as the 2016 Young Chef. He’s been on quite a ride since then. We’ll meet him.

One of our favorite guests of 2016 is the always-opinionated Meathead Goldwyn the founder of AmazingRibs.com, the hugely popular grilling and barbecue website. He’s also known as the barbecue whisperer. His new book is Meathead : The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling. Meathead joins us with some unexpected but hugely practical tips for preparing the Thanksgiving feast.

Bravo’s “Top Chef” Season 10 alum Brooke Williamson and her husband/co-chef Nick Roberts have debuted their 4^th restaurant in Playa Vista on the Runway. It’s the fast-casual, Hawaiian-themed, street-food oriented, Da Kikokiko. Chef Brooke joins us to share the inviting aloha spirit.

All of this and lots more absolutely incredible deliciousness on Saturday’s show!

The Ment’or BKB Foundation (founded by Daniel Boulud, Thomas Keller and Jerome Bocuse) supports Team USA at the Bocuse d’Or International Culinary Competition and mentors up-and-coming culinary talent in the USA. Earlier this year Chef Vincenzo Loseto of The Nomad in New York won the prestigious honors as the 2016 Young Chef. He’s been on quite a ride since then. We’ll meet him.

Vincenzo’s winning presentation was Veal Tenderloin with Oyster Mushroom and Herb Mousseline. The judges included Daniel Boulud, Thomas Keller, Jerome Bocuse and Team USA 2015 alum, Chef Philip Tessier.

Since then Chef Vincenzo has staged at Noma in Copenhagen, one of the World’s most acclaimed restaurants. He was also just with Team USA in Lyon in advance of the 2017 Bocuse d’Or International Culinary Competition.

Chef Vincenzo will also preview the Bocuse d’Or 2017 Team USA VIP Experience. Talk about the ultimate gift for a very special foodie…

One of our favorite guests of 2016 is Meathead Goldwyn, the founder of AmazingRibs.com, the hugely popular grilling and barbecue website. He’s also known as the barbecue whisperer.

His new book is Meathead: The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling. Meathead joins us with some unexpected but practical tips for preparing the traditional Thanksgiving feast.

For accurate temperature control always use a digital thermometer. It’s much more reliable. For cooking the bird Meathead suggests smoking or grilling. This opens up critical oven space for baking pies.

Bravo’s “Top Chef” Season 10 alum, Brooke Williamson and her husband/co-chef Nick Roberts have just debuted their 4^th restaurant in Playa Vista on the Runway. It’s the fast-casual, Hawaiian-themed, street-food oriented Da Kikokiko. It’s Family-friendly, too.

“When brainstorming ideas a few years ago for our next restaurant, we knew we wanted to open a Hawaiian spot, since we love Asian flavors and felt there was a need for good, authentic Hawaiian cuisine in Los Angeles that went beyond poké,” says Brooke and Nick. “It’s why Da Kikokiko also offers musubi and shave ice, since it gives guests variety and lets us have a bit more fun in the kitchen. There’s also a casualness, yet approachability to Hawaiian food, which we strive for at all of our restaurants, and the cuisine has loads of flavor but is still fresh.”

Created by Brooke and Nick, the menu lends itself to authentic island flavors with Asian influences, and makes for an ideal lunch, dinner, or beach trip snack. Celebrating one of Hawaii’s most popular street foods, Da Kikokiko offers musubi made traditionally with grilled SPAM on top of a block of rice, and wrapped with dried nori seaweed, plus innovative twists with contemporary protein and vegetable options like teriyaki chicken, yuzu kosho salmon, and sesame miso zucchini.

Customizable poké bowls are available with a variety of base mixes, proteins, sauces, and toppings to select from. ogonori, cilantro, and sesame, plus more.

To cap off the Hawaiian experience, guests can enjoy refreshing shave ice with housemade organic syrups like hibiscus-currant, mango-jasmine, yuzu, matcha, Kona coffee, and pineapple, along with toppings such as li hing mui (salty dried plum) powder and condensed milk. Making it extra indulgent, guests can also add a scoop of housemade vanilla and coconut ice cream, or lilikoi sorbet, from Brooke and Nick’s artisanal ice cream shop Small Batch, located inside nearby Playa Provisions.

For “Top Chef” fans please know Chef Brooke returns as an encore “Cheftestant” for Season 14 starting in early December.

Chef Brooke joins us to share the aloha spirit.

Genuine Tequila can only come from certain areas of Mexico and the State of Jalisco is famous for their blue agave which is the base for authentic Tequila. The accommodating Marriott Resort CasaMagna in Puerto Vallarta’s Marina zone has a resident Tequila Sommelier and a fascinating on-site Tequila program. We’ll meet her. Bring on the aged Anejo.

CasaMagna has their own, on-property agave garden. CasaMagna Tequila (only available there) is distilled in five styles including Blanco, Joven, Reposado, and Anejo. They also offer over 114 different varieties of Tequila from other producers at the resort for the guests’ sipping pleasure.

Audrey hosts highly-rated Weekly Tasting Classes. These include colorful commentary on the mythical origins of the drink as well as the modern state of the tequila industry.

Podcasts

Show 171, May 14, 2016: Show Preview with Executive Producer & Co-Host Andy Harris & Chef Andrew Gruel

Posted on May 18, 2016 by Adam Bell

Program Note…On May 21^st we’re broadcasting live from the studios of Chicago’s ESPN 1000 – WMVP-AM. We’re there to join in the celebration of Chef Andrew Gruel’s Trendsetter MenuMaster Award presented by Nation’s Restaurant News. The vibrant Chicago dining scene will be well represented in the show! You don’t want to miss this show.

Executive Chef Andrew Gruel of the rapidly growing Slapfish empire with restaurants in Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach, Newport Beach, LAX, Irvine at UCI and, most recently, Brea, is back as today’s special Guest Host.

Now a stimulating peak at Saturday’s tantalizing show and not, with profuse apologies, for dieters. If we’re doing it right we will always leave you incredibly hungry and thirsty. In our case that’s actually a pretty good thing…

At the age of 15, Chef Brendan Collins quit secondary school to follow his dream and enroll in culinary school, where he was classically trained in French technique. Today Collins is the Executive Chef and Proprietor of Birch in Hollywood, Larry’s in Venice as well as the Executive Chef of The Corner Door in Culver City. On Sunday, May 15^th he’s part of the celebration of the 25^th Anniversary of the Hollywood Farmers Market.

Congratulations to native Angeleno, Chef Dahlia Narvaez, the Executive Pastry Chef of both Osteria Mozza and Pizzeria Mozza in Hollywood. Chef Dahlia was presented with the 2016 James Beard Foundation Award for Outstanding Pastry Chef in Chicago at Lyric Opera on May 2^nd. She is our special guest.

From the founder of AmazingRibs.com (Meathead Goldwyn), the hugely popular grilling and barbecue website known for applying the latest scientific research to America’s favorite form of cooking, comes MEATHEAD: The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling. Meathead is known as the barbecue whisperer and joins us.

There is a novel way to experience America’s Riviera, Santa Barbara. The Santa Barbara Car Free Project invites visitors to show their Amtrak train tickets and enjoy car free fun (with special discounts) in Santa Barbara. Laura Kath with Santa Barbara Car Free provides us with all the needed 411.

Shrimp is one of the most popular varieties of seafood enjoyed in America. What should you know about sourcing, cooking and enjoying this delicious crustacean? Does size matter? Fresh or frozen? Wild caught or farm raised? Should you pay attention to where the shrimp comes from? Our own resident seafood authority, Chef Andrew Gruel, joins us with all the specifics. It’s a peel-and-eat feast.

The Better Burger Battle is heating up again with the arrival of Fullerton’s favorite, The Burger Parlor, in Old Towne Orange. You have a serious fine dining chef creating premium burgers and loving it. They even make their own ice cream for the milk shakes. Burger-meister and Chef Joseph Mahon is with us with all the juicy details.

All of this and lots more absolutely incredible deliciousness on Saturday’s show!

May 14: Brendan Collins, Dahlia Narvaez, Meathead Goldwyn, Santa Barbara Car Free, Burger Parlor

Posted on May 12, 2016 by Adam Bell

Podcasts

Segment One: Show Preview with Executive Producer & Co-Host Andy Harris & Chef Andrew Gruel
Segment Two: Owner / Executive Chef Brendan Collins of Birch, Larry’s and The Corner Door
Segment Three: Executive Pastry Chef Dahlia Narvaez, Osteria Mozza & Pizzeria Mozza
Segment Four: Meathead Goldwyn of AmazingRibs.com
Segment Five: Santa Barbara Car Free with Laura Kath
Segment Six: Chef Andrew Gruel with Shrimp 411
Segment Seven: Chef Joseph Mahon, The Burger Parlor, Fullerton & Old Towne Orange Part One
Segment Eight: Chef Joseph Mahon, The Burger Parlor, Fullerton & Old Towne Orange Part Two

At the age of 15, Chef Brendan Collins quit secondary school to follow his dream and enroll in culinary school, where he was classically trained in French technique. Today Collins is the Executive Chef and Proprietor of both Birch in Hollywood as well as the Executive Chef of The Corner Door in Culver City. On Sunday, May 15^th he’s part of the celebration of the 25^th Anniversary of the Hollywood Farmers Market.

From the founder of AmazingRibs.com (Meathead Goldwyn), the hugely popular grilling and barbecue website known for applying the latest scientific research to America’s favorite form of cooking, comes MEATHEAD : The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling. Meathead is known as the barbecue whisperer and joins us.

There is a new way to experience America’s Riviera, Santa Barbara. The Santa Barbara Car Free Project invites visitors to show their Amtrak train tickets and enjoy car free fun (with special discounts) in Santa Barbara. Laura Kath with Santa Barbara Car Free provides us with all the needed 411.

Shrimp is one of the most popular varieties of seafood enjoyed in America. What should you know about sourcing, cooking and enjoying this delicious crustacean ? Does size matter ? Fresh or frozen ? Wild caught or farm raised? Should you pay attention to where the shrimp comes from ? Our own resident seafood authority, Chef Andrew Gruel, joins us with all the specifics. It’s a peel-and-eat feast.

All of this and lots more absolutely incredible deliciousness on Saturday’s show!

At the age of 15, Chef Brendan Collins quit secondary school to follow his dream and enroll in culinary school, where he was classically trained in French technique. By 17, the talented Nottingham native had his first job at London’s La Gavroche, a Michelin two-star restaurant.

Today Collins is the Executive Chef and Proprietor of both Birch in Hollywood as well as the Executive Chef of The Corner Door in Culver City. On Sunday, May 15^th he’s part of the celebration of the 25^th Anniversary of the Hollywood Farmers Market.

Chef Collins is performing a cooking demonstration on the Cooking Stage at 12 Noon with a recipe from his new book, Cooking Blokes & Artichokes with a prior book-signing at 10:30 a.m.

The Hollywood Farmers Market and the parent non-profit, SEE-LA, are celebrating 25 successful years of providing the Los Angeles community with sustainable and fresh produce with special market events each Sunday in May. The Sunday event series for the balance of May features cookbook signings and demonstrations by a few of Los Angeles’ most celebrated chefs and cookbook authors

Dahlia Narvaez developed a love for food when cooking for her family after school in Highland Park. Trading the classroom for the kitchen, Narvaez left school for a job at the Conga Room at the age of 22.

Looking to take the next step in her career, Dahlia confidently strode through the doors of La Brea Bakery and asked for a counter job. But she never worked a minute behind the counter, vaulting immediately to the kitchen at Nancy Silverton’s Campanile where, in 2003, she was name Executive Pastry Chef.

Dahlia left Campanile in 2006 to assume the role of Executive Pastry Chef for what was to soon become Osteria Mozza and Pizzeria Mozza. Dahlia developed the menus and pastry departments for all of Mozza’s LA restaurants and oversees the department in Newport Beach and Singapore.

As a side project Chef Dahlia also created the distinctive dessert menu at Chef Chris Feldmeier’s Moruno located in the Original Farmers Market at Third & Fairfax. It’s really all in the Family as Chef Dahlia and Chef Chris are married.

Goldwyn first began his food and drink career as a soda jerk in his parents’ Sarasota restaurant where is father affectionately nicknamed him Meathead. In MEATHEAD, he reveals in full but accessible detail, the science behind the interaction of fire and food, with foolproof techniques, researched results on hardware, and 118 mouthwateringly, satisfying, and thoroughly tested recipes.

After consulting with scientists, Meathead shatters many of the myths that hang around barbecue lore, oftentimes standing in the way of perfection.

“Remember, almost anything you can cook indoors can be cooked outdoors, only better,” Meathead writes. “All it takes is the four P’s: practice, patience, persistence, and a knowledge of key cooking principles.”

There is a new, au courant way to experience America’s Riviera, Santa Barbara. The Santa Barbara Car Free Project invites visitors to show their Amtrak train tickets and enjoy car free fun (with special discounts) in Santa Barbara. Laura Kath with Santa Barbara Car Free joins us with all the needed 411.

“Start your vacation when you get on the train! Relax on your trip to Santa Barbara, then show your Amtrak ticket to our partners for some amazing experiences.”

Through December 31, 2016, travelers to Santa Barbara can show their Amtrak tickets (paper, e-ticket, or mobile device) to the following attractions and activities for specials and experiences: Adventure Company of Santa Barbara (kayaking & surf lessons), Captain Jack’s Tours & Events (wine tasting or horseback riding), Celebration Cruises (Lil Toot & Azure Seas sailing), CONDOR Express (whale watching), I Bike Santa Barbara (cycling wine tours), Pali Wine Company, Santa Barbara Maritime Museum, Santa Barbara Trolley Company, Santa Barbara Zoo, Segway of Santa Barbara, Sunset Kidd Sailing Cruises and Wheel Fun Rentals (bikes).

Santa Barbara Car Free is an award-winning project founded and led by the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District with more than 100 community partners who are dedicated to making car free vacations care-free.

Shrimp is one of the most popular varieties of seafood enjoyed in America. What should you know about sourcing, cooking and enjoying this delicious crustacean? Does size matter? Fresh or frozen? Wild caught or farm raised? Should you pay close attention to where the shrimp comes from? Are there any food safety concerns to be aware of about consuming shrimp?

Our own resident seafood authority, Chef Andrew Gruel, joins us with all the specifics. It’s a veritable peel-and-eat feast.

The Better Burger Battle is heating up again with the arrival of Fullerton’s favorite, The Burger Parlor in Old Towne Orange. You have a serious fine dining chef creating premium burgers and loving it. They even make their own homemade ketchup and ice cream for the milk shakes. Burger-meister and Chef Joseph Mahon is with us with all the juicy details.

“Often times, when customers order a hamburger in a fine-dining establishment, they wind up disappointed. Either the patty blend isn’t right or the burger lacks a sauce or the whole dish is too precious.”

“Not so with Joseph Mahon. When the fine-dining veteran introduced his hamburger at the posh Bastide in West Hollywood, the reception was so overwhelmingly positive, Mahon started penciling out his own burger business.”

The result is The Burger Parlor in Fullerton and now, Old Towne Orange.

“Initially, Chef Mahon plied his sandwiches through food trucks and then a pop-up venue. “The first six months was a laboratory, improving consistency and getting guest feedback,” he reminisces. But changes in his personal life required a permanent address. “My daughter was on the way,” Mahon reveals, adding, “I stopped seeking out the next trend – I could chase that for 25 years.” He began to ask himself, “What’s more stable?”

“The answer was Burger Parlor, a location just around the corner from the pop-up site in Fullerton.”

“No matter what the burger combination, Mahon insists, “let the meat shine. Everything else is second, third or fourth.”

Chef Mahon generously shares his recipe for the Kali Burger on Pages 148 – 149 in West Coast Prime Meats Cooks – Professional Recipes For The Home Kitchen.